The present invention relates generally to multihull sailing vessels and, more particularly, to an improved device for preventing the capsize of such vessels. The device may be either fitted to an existing vessel or be formed integrally therewith.
Multihull sailing vessels such as catamarans, trimarans and proas, are becoming increasingly popular for recreational sailing. However, such vessels are particularly susceptible to complete capsizing due to their multihull design. When these vessels capsize, they pivot about one of the outriggers, and capsizing may occur even under the hand of an experienced sailor. While a number of proposals have been made to solve the capsizing of such vessels, such proposals have been less than completely satisfactory, in that the solutions were either too expensive, ineffective or adversely effected the handling of the vessel. The present invention is directed to overcoming these difficulties.
The present invention is directed to a capsize prevention device for multihull vessels that may be built integrally with the vessel or added to an existing vessel. First and second tubes through which water may flow are disposed longitudinally along the lower portion of the vessel's keel. Disposed at the forward and rearward end of each of the tubes are valves which may be either opened to permit sea water to flow through the tubes or closed to entrap any sea water flowing through the tubes. The valves may be operated either manually or through an automatic device which detects excessive heel angle of the vessel. When the valves are closed, the water thus becomes entrapped in the tubes and as the vessel heels over, the mass of the water is added to the keel of the vessel. As the keel attempts to rise out of the water, the mass of the water combined with the leverage arm formed between the outrigger and the keel provides an anti-capsizing torque to the vessel.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved multihull sailing vessel.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a multihull vessel including an anti-capsizing device.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an anti-capsizing device for a multihull vessel that may be integral with the vessel or attached to an existing vessel.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an anti-capsizing device for a multihull vessel that will not adversely effect the handling of the vessel when not in use.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved anti-capsizing device that may be either manually or automatically actuated.
Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading of the detailed specification to follow.